My Gaia and Terra
by strouplionheart
Summary: "You are my Gaia and Terra...I refuse to live in a world without you."
1. The Aftermath

Final Fantasy IX Chapter 1 The Aftermath

NOTE: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE NAMES, CHARACTERS, OR OTHER THINGS OF FINAL FANTASY IX. FINAL FANTASY IX IS COPYRIGHT OF SQUARE ENIX/SQUARESOFT, INC.

It had been one full year since the return of the energetic thief, Zidane Tribal. On the day of his return, everyone, including Amarant of all people, were overjoyed to see him alive and back. Especially Garnet. She had waited a whole year without the man she loved...How could she NOT be overwhelmed by her own emotions? The moment she saw him, they finally took over her; that's what had her dashing down the staircase and to the outside of the castle to once again embrace herself in her lover's arms. The entire city of Alexandria clapped and cheered until there were no more lungs to cheer with. They were genuinely happy to see the two back together. Hell, even Steiner and Beatrix were glad to see the princess smile again. It practically made their day when they saw her face light with happiness at the sight of her love, Zidane.

"How did you survive?"

"I had no choice. I had to live. I had to come back to you."

She closed her eyes, hoping to cherish every word that came out from his lips.

"So I sang your song."

He caressed her cheek with his hand, and a tear shed from her beautiful hazel eyes.

"Our song."

An entire year had passed since that glorious day. Zidane had decided to live within the walls of Alexandria, hoping he would eventually get the approval from Steiner and Beatrix to move into the castle one day. In the meantime, he simply had the Invincible parked right outside of Alexandria, and when the time came, he would sleep there for the night and go back into town the next morning. But it wasn't exactly what Garnet wanted; nor is it what HE wanted. In fact, the princess and her loyal knights would argue over it quite frequently.

"Come on, you two! I don't see the problem with letting him stay here!"

Steiner lifted a finger as if he was ready to act as Garnet's father. "Now, now, princess!" he scolded. "It is my duty as a knight to protect you from scoundrels like him! He's naught but a thief, Your Highness! A low-class, worthless thief!"

"Steiner..." Beatrix shook her head in disagreement as she saw a small tear enter Garnet's eyes. She couldn't care less what they thought, but she tried her best to put up with it for now. "Fine!" she groaned. "I don't care! It doesn't bother me at all!"

She turned away from her two knights, signaling that she didn't exactly want them around at the moment. However, Beatrix was determined to make her happy. So, she tried to lighten her spirits through words.

"Now, Your Highness, it's not that I don't like Zidane. He's a very brave, loyal, and trustworthy man. It's just...well, you and him are the same age, and this is the time when you start...well...noticing each other in a different way. We just don't want you getting hurt, is all."

"Hurt?" Garnet immediately retorted. "The last thing he'd do to me is HURT me! Obviously, you don't know anything about Zidane...even after all that time we traveled together! He saved me numerous times...I can't even count! He's not selfish! He's not a jerk, either! What's the problem?"

"Well...he might lead you to..."

"Lead me to what?"

"Ummm...well..."

She tried her best to speak the words that needed to be spoken, but before she got the chance to, Garnet stood on her legs and just walked out of the room, Steiner noticing her cheeks a bright crimson. Beatrix had a feeling she knew what she meant.

"I'm afraid I do not comprehend, Beatrix. What exactly is it you were getting at?"

She shook her head and let out a disappointed sigh. "Sex, Steiner."

The knight's entire face shaded red. "O-Oh..."

Since she was queen now, Garnet could walk around anywhere she wanted. So, she decided to hit the town, her first stop being the Pub. Upon entering through the door, she was immediately greeted by everyone in the room, lifting their mugs and shouting "Hooray!" for their queen. She giggled at the sight of this and curtsied to her people, thanking them for their kindness. She walked gracefully towards the bar, ready to speak to the bartender. "Oh? Dagger, is that you?"

"Huh? Ruby! It's you!"

The beautiful actress giggled when she saw her face. "Nice to see you again, darlin'!"

"Yes, same here! What have you been up to?"

"Oh, y'know, the usual. Just actin' and stuff."

"But a bartender? I didn't know you could do this so well."

"Aww, thanks, darlin'!" She wrapped her arms around her, hugging her the best she could from behind the bar, squeezing a little too tight. "Uhh...R-Ruby...Can't...breathe..."

"Oh!" She released her with a bit of an ashamed look. "Sorry about that! So, what brings you here?"

Her cheeks turned a slight pink. "Ummm...well..."

"It's Zidane, ain't it?"

"Y...Yes."

"Sorry, hon'. He's not here."

"Umm...then, where is he?"

"I wish I knew, hon'. He took off in that flyin' machine n' left a while ago."

"So he was here today? Then maybe..."

Just before she could process another thought, the entire bar once again shouted a "Hooray!" for their next guest. The same person was then witnessed tugging lightly on Garnet's clothes, causing her to look down to see who it was.

"Vivi! It's so good to see you again!"

"Heya, Princess! I mean...Your Majesty!"

"Oh, please, Vivi! You needn't be so formal with me. You're my best friend!"

"Hehehe...Okay, Dagger."

"Hi there, cutie!"

His cheeks turned a little red. "H-Hi, Ms. Ruby!"

"What's a good lookin' boy like you doin' here?"

"W-Well, I had to tell Dagger about Zidane, but-"

"What? What happened to Zidane?"

"N-Nothing bad! He just...He went to Lindblum to get something...umm...for you."

She felt a warm touch on her heart. "Something...for me?" Her face lit with a flattered smile. "How thoughtful..." She dazed off into her own little world, imagining what the gift could be. Was it something pricey like jewelry? Was it a beautiful dress? Something she could use for battle practice? Oh, how her mind boggled with thoughts towards him! Spinning and spinning, they wouldn't stop coming. It was about time to snap her out of it.

"Dagger? Hey, you okay?"

"Hmm...?" She exited her dazed state to respond to Vivi. "Yes, I'm fine. So Vivi, did Zidane tell you what he was getting me?"

"Ummm...something really pretty."

"It must be a diamond ring!" Ruby blurted. "Ohhh, hon'! He's gonna ask fer yer hand!"

"Oh, no...he's not...I mean...Well..."

"Hehehe! See? Yer blushin'!"

Just as they finished their discussion, a soldier of Alexandria Castle arrived into the Pub. "Is the Queen in here?"

Garnet turned to face the guard. "Yes, I'm right here. What is it?"

"A large ship has just parked outside of Alexandria."

"It must be Zidane!"

Her legs sprinted her out the door, and Vivi soon followed behind. They made their way through the crowd of people and outside of town, their eyes glued to the mighty Invincible as they exited. The door to the ship suddenly lowered itself, and the famed thief slowly walked outside and onto the ground. But before he got the chance to step three feet forward, he was bombarded by an energetic Garnet, who dashed into his embrace as they both fell onto the grass. They began laughing together, and even Vivi joined in.

"Hey there, beautiful."

"Hello, Zidane."

They finally stood back on their feet, their hands placed in one another's. Vivi knew to turn around and not bother looking. He actually started walking off back into the city. "I'll see you two later!" he shouted, running faster back into the city. This left the two alone to talk...something that was much needed.

"I missed you, Zidane."

"Oh? Royalty missing me? That's new."

She playfully punched him on the shoulder. "Shut up!" The Genome laughed.

"I can't help it. I love seeing a smile on that beautiful face of yours."

"Hehehe...Thanks."

"So, hey, are you free for right now?"

"Huh? Yes, I am. Why?"

"You wanna take a ride with me real quick?"

Her cheeks turned a little red, but still she responded. "Sure."

"Awesome. C'mon!"

The two walked hand in hand back up the steps to the Invincible, and with that, they were launched into the sky and took off, heading in the direction of Esto Gaza. Garnet was a little confused as to what his intentions were.

"Zidane? Why Esto Gaza?"

"Oh, right. Sorry about that. I gotta pick something up real quick. We'll leave right after that."

"O...Okay."

He sure wasn't lying. He landed the Invincible and entered the small town, got what he needed, and hightailed it out of there in almost no time. But this just made the gorgeous long-haired girl even more suspicious as to what was really going on. "Okay, now we're off to the Black Mage Village!"

"But why?"

"Hehehe...You'll see when we get there."

She trusted his heart, but not his brain. She knew something was going to happen; maybe he would try hitting on her again? No, he didn't seem very flirtatious. In fact, to her surprise, he looked a lot more mature than he did that long ago. His voice was a little deeper than before, and she honestly thought it was incredibly attractive. They arrived at the Black Mage Village within minutes after visiting Esto Gaza. Upon entering the village, they were greeted happily by a familiar face.

"Hello, big brother."

"Hey there, Mikoto."

"Mikoto? Really?"

The female Genome looked over to Garnet with a smile. "Hello, Your Highness."

"H...Hello, Mikoto. How are you?"

"I'm wonderful. You?"

"G-Great! Thank you for asking."

"Hey, sis, you still got that thing I gave you?"

"Yes, big brother."

"Thanks, kiddo! That's why you're so awesome!"

He gave Mikoto a loving hug, and she laughed a little bit. This came as a huge surprise to Garnet. The last time she saw Mikoto, she was a seemingly lifeless robot that could barely process the word "emotion." She didn't know what to think of it, to be honest; was it a good thing or a bad thing? Sure, she knew they were related, but...did Mikoto fully understand that?

"Hmm? Garnet? Is something wrong?" Mikoto gave Garnet a confused look as she asked.

"Huh? N-No, I'm fine!"

"...If you say so." She turned her head to Zidane. "Big brother, I'll see you back at the house. Come by anytime to get it. I'll always have it."

"Thanks, sis. I'll drop by later."

The now spirited young girl dashed off to play with the other black mages and fellow Genome. This once again left Zidane and Garnet to themselves. Her cheeks were a little flushed, unbeknowst to her. Zidane took her hand and decided to show her around the village. Surprisingly to her, it was a lot wider than before; they even worked to make a large ditch that they filled with beautiful lake water. Late at night, she could picture how gorgeous it would be to sit by the gentle water, the moon shining brilliantly on its surface, giving it that warm, loving glow. Her mind once again traveled to another realm as she walked around with Zidane. At the end of the "tour," Zidane finally dropped by Mikoto's house for the item he needed.

"You just wait here, okay?"

"Huh? Oh, umm...Okay, sure." She was suddenly snapped out of her la-la world. Zidane quickly went into the house and grabbed a sash, which carried the surprise item inside of it. When he came back out to meet Garnet, her eyes were latched to the sash. "What's in there?"

"Oh, it's a secret. I can't tell you yet."

"Yet? Well, that's no fun...I don't like surprises."

"No? Huh...Always thought you did."

"Why'd you think that?"

"I surprised you when I came back, right?"

That's right...he did, didn't he? That day he arrived back at the castle for the play on her last birthday. Come to think of it, her birthday was once again nearing. (Maybe...it's a birthday present!) she thought with a smile across her face.

"Well, I got what I came here for," Zidane suddenly said. "You wanna head back to the castle?"

"Oh? You just wanted to spend time with me, didn't you?" she played.

"Yeah...I did."

That was a little startling. "Zidane..." He was finally being serious, it seemed. She was so expecting some kind of witty sarcastic comment, but...that? That was actually the last thing she expected. But she still managed a smile. "Yeah...me too." They returned to the Invincible and flew back to Alexandria. Zidane had a little more preparing to do, so he waved goodbye to Garnet as she landed safely on the balcony of the castle, with the Invincible hovering only a few inches away from it. The wind caused by the ship blew her hair back a ways, her bangs dangling elegantly across her face. She knew to expect him for her 19th birthday...and it was only a week away! Like it or not, the time passed by in a flash for her, and her birthday was today!

The castle was practically littered with guests and fellow people of Alexandria, some of them being the guards and soldiers sworn to protect their Queen. Garnet, on the other hand, was preparing herself for her subjects, dressing herself in a beautiful new dress, one that was a bright red color. She wore beautiful earrings, ones that sparkled very well with her dress. She was expecting more than just her people; she was expecting her best friends. And, to her surprise, someone knocked on her bedroom door. "Come in!"

A small little girl bounced into the room. "Dagger!" she exclaimed. It was little Eiko, dressed very nicely for such a splendid occasion.

"Eiko! So nice to see you again!" Garnet stood up from her chair, only to kneel down again to give her best friend a hug.

"How've you been, Your Highness?"

She giggled. "Oh, I've managed so far. How about you? Things going okay in Madain Sari?"

"Silly. I don't live there anymore! I live in Lindblum with mother and father, remember?"

"Oh...that's right. I'm sorry, I must've forgotten!"

"Nah, forget about it! Besides, they're here, too!"

"Uncle Cid and Aunt Hilda are here? How nice!"

"Well, yeah! You ARE blood, right? Of course they're gonna show up to your birthday!"

"Hahaha...Yes, I suppose you're right."

"So, hey, you seen Zidane?"

"Hmm? No, not yet."

"Oh...Hehehe..."

"Hmm? What's wrong, Eiko?"

"Oh, nothing's WRONG! Just...be prepared for one hell of a birthday present, Garnet!"

"Ummm...okay?"

The next person coming into the room was another friend, Freya of Burmecia. "Greetings, Dagger."

"Freya! Hello!"

"Happy 19th birthday, Garnet."

"Thank you so much for being here, Freya! And you too, Eiko!"

"Don't forget me!" Another familiar voice echoed through the hall and approached the room. It was the ever-so humorous Quina.

"Quina? You, too? How wonderful!" She honestly didn't expect Quina to show up to her birthday.

"Of course I show up! I smell delicious foods from miles away!"

"It's good to see you havent't changed, Quina." She sighed slightly.

"Oh, there should be one more here..." said Freya.

"Hmm? Who?"

"Me," said a scruff voice from behind the door. It was the last of the circle of friends, Amarant.

"Amarant? This is even more surprising than Quina!"

"Yeah, well, I thought I'd drop by. We're supposed to be friends, right?" His voice was a little too casual, and it didn't sound like he cared very much.

"Typical Amarant..." shrugged Eiko.

"Oh, this is wonderful! Everyone's here for my party! I couldn't be happier!"

"Not everyone," stated Freya. "Where's Zidane?"

Just then, Mikoto bolted into the room to meet Garnet. "Your Highness, if I may, Zidane and the others have arrived for your birthday!"

"Mikoto! Thanks. I'll be down in just a moment."

And she was. Along with the others, she descended the stairs and entered the main hall, meeting Zidane and about two-hundred black mages, as well as a hefty amount of Genomes. Not only that, but the group from Tantalus all joined in as well. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Garnet couldn't help but laugh with joy. "Thank you all so much for coming!"

"You kidding?" grinned Zidane. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Zidane...Thank you!"

The entire time was spent talking to one another...well, that and watching Blank, Cinna and Marcus play around with the child black mages. The Genomes were simply fascinated by the sights around them, such as the marble floors and the pretty decorations and furniture in the main hall. Garnet and Zidane spent pretty much the whole time together, until one of the children of the black mages asked for a dance, which she happily replied with a giggle and an "Of course!" as they walked off onto the dance floor. Zidane couldn't help but watch her and realize all the reasons he loved her. (Damn, she's so perfect) he thought. The party seemed to last forever, but really, it was only a few hours. All of the people of Alexandria returned home for the night, as well as those who weren't from the city. Garnet wholeheartedly offered everyone to stay over for the night, which they all accepted to do. Zidane told the black mages and Genomes to go back for the night and swing by tomorrow morning to pick him up.

Zidane stepped forward a little closer to Garnet. "Hey, Garnet...can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Hmm?" She looked over to Zidane and smiled. "Sure." The two walked out onto the balcony.

"So? What's on your mind?" Just as she turned to face him from closing the door, he had a very serious look on his face. "I have something for you."

"For me?"

"Yeah."

Zidane reached into his left pocket and pulled out a small box. Garnet was a little surprised at first, but then, she felt her breath get a little short, and her heart started beating against her ribs. "Zidane...! Are you...?"

"Garnet, ever since the day we met, I felt attached to you. I wanted to take you around the world and back again, and I would do anything to make you happy. As we started traveling together, I finally realized that I wanted more than just your body...I wanted your heart. I want your heart so badly."

"You mean...?"

"Yes. Garnet...I love you. I always have, one way or the other. Now, I realize that I love you for who you are."

"Zidane! I..."

"So, I got this for you to show you just a fragment of how much I love you."

His finger slowly opened the lid of the box, revealing a stunning ring with a very rare and otherworldly crystal embedded into it. "Zidane! W-What is this...?"

"This is a crystal from Terra, my home world. You can't find them anywhere on Gaia. In other words, this ring is one of a kind."

"I...I don't know what to say..."

"Say you love me."

"Zidane..." At first, she stuttered, but that was probably because she was slowly bursting into tears of joy. She finally decided it was time. This was the time to reveal her true feelings; right here, right now. "Zidane...I love you, too! I always will!" She fought back some of the tears with her happiness. Zidane immediately closed the box and took her into his embrace. She returned the hug with her arms wrapped passionately around him. "Zidane..." She could feel her heart resting, the pain of its previous pounding disappearing. They broke away from their hug, and Zidane smiled brightly at her, which in turn made her smile back.

"Will you marry me, Garnet?"

She didn't even have to think twice before she replied. "Of course I will, Zidane."

He placed the ring from the box onto her finger, signaling that she was now engaged to her love. The two slowly moved in for a kiss, and within seconds, their lips locked in the most passionate kiss you would ever have the honor to witness. She began to massage his neck with her hands, while his hands were placed gently on her hips. They swruved their heads and continued kissing, until the group of friends suddenly burst into the room. This caused them to break away from each other, but they didn't do it very switfly as if to hide it from one another. Garnet noticed that Freya, Eiko, and even Amarant all had smiles across their faces.

"What're you all doing?"

"So, Zidane, did you do it yet?" asked Freya.

"Yeah, he did!" played Eiko.

"Huh? Did what?"

"We came here because we all knew Zidane was gonna propose to you," stated Amarant. "So, we decided to come by for the momentous occasion."

"Oh, you all..." She smiled even wider when she heard the news. "But...what about Steiner and Beatrix?"

"Hohoho! You needn't worry yourself, Your Highness!" came the voice of the said knight from behind the door as he entered the room. "Zidane and I have come to an understanding. Therefore, I see no reason to object to this wedding."

"Steiner and I both agree with Zidane," stated Breatrix, who came right in behind Steiner. "I personally think you two make a great couple. Congratulations, Your Highness."

Everyone clapped for Zidane and Garnet's happiness. It really was a joyous moment for the thief and princess. Everyone decided to retire for the night; it was surprisingly late. But before Zidane could go back to his room, Garnet gently grabbed his hand and leaned him closer to her so she could whisper into his ear.

"I'm leaving my balcony door unlocked. Come see me when they're all asleep."

"...Okay." His feet moved him back towards his room, and for a while, he pretended to be asleep. He was anxious to sneak into Garnet's room. When the time finally arrived, he slyly moved through the hallway without making a sound, and he lunged down carefully onto the ground and over to Garnet's balcony. He tapped slightly on the glass of the door, and Garnet heard him and smiled widely. She swiftly opened the door and pushed it open, pulling on Zidane's shirt to lock themselves into a passionate kiss. She moved backwards and eventually got them both onto the bed. They started exploring each other's bodies with their hands, while their tongues were having their own little party. The only time she broke away from his lips was when she took a breath to say "I love you" very erotically...right before engaging in more passionate kissing.

Her hands started moving themselves up Zidane's shirt, and eventually, she swung it off of his torso, revealing a rather ripped upper half. She giggled a little out of breath when she saw her lover's chest. "Someone's been working out," she played.

"All for you, baby," Zidane played back. She didn't want to take it much further than that...for now, anyways. So, she decided to lay herself on top of his ripped chest, closing her beautiful eyes and smiling warmly. She yawned upon setting her head down, which forced a chuckle out of Zidane. (Such a cute yawn) he thought. She snuggled deeper into his chest, his warmth comforting her greatly. "I love you, Zidane."

"And I love you, Garnet." Those were the last words they spoke to one another before falling asleep in each other's embrace. 


	2. My Gaia and Terra

Final Fantasy IX Chapter 2 Some Time Alone

WARNING: This chapter contains a detailed hint of lemon. If you are otherwise offended by this kind of material, then I strongly advise that you either go back to the previous chapter or just leave altogether. I do not own FF9 or any characters of the FF series.

The morning sun shined brilliantly through the glass windows of the balcony of Alexandria Castle. Inside the queen's room, it was almost silent enough to hear a nail drop. The atmosphere was peaceful and filled with ease...until the queen awoke from her bed to find herself alone. She started to panic. "Zidane? Zidane!" She didn't know what to think at that moment. Her mind went completely blank; no thoughts, nothing there to hold her. "Was it...all a dream...?" Tears began to fill her eyes, for she refused to accept that answer. But just as she began to spiral into a sea of doubt, the door to her room slowly tilted open, revealing a smiling Zidane with a tray of delicious-looking breakfast food. He set the tray gently on the wooden desk next to her bed and grinned at her. "Hey there, beautiful."

"Zidane!" She lunged out of her bed and into his arms, once again grasping the warmth she had only wished would last forever. She didn't even acknowledge the fact that he was shirtless. He wrapped his arms around the queen, who was crying a little bit from the shock of waking alone. "I hope I die in my sleep..."

She sniffed and raised her head to gaze into her lover's eyes. "What...?"

"I hope I die in my sleep, lest I wake and find myself alone. I fear my heart would shatter, dearest love, if the sun rises and I am without you."

She chuckled while wiping away the tears from her hazel eyes. "You really are a thief. You stole that from one of Ipsen's plays."

"I suppose I did. But it's not the only thing I've stolen."

"No, it's not. You've stolen my heart."

"And you mine."

They locked their lips together in a passionate kiss, wrapping themselves in their loving embrace.

"Hey, guess what?" played Zidane.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I have something planned for us today. You wanna go on a picnic?"

"Oh, Zidane! That sounds lovely, but..."

"But?"

"I mean...The kingdom needs me, and..."

He placed a finger of her lip. "I already talked to Beatrix and Steiner. They said they'd cover for us."

She smiled widely and kissed him once more on the lips. "Then I see no reason to object." There was a playful and lustful tone in her voice. "Let's go right now."

"Okay, but...umm...you gotta let me put a shirt on, first."

"Oh..." Her cheeks turned pink. "R-Right, sorry!"

"Hey, no biggie." Zidane slipped his normal shirt back on and lead his fianc ' to the Invincible, where they set out for their picnic.

"By the way, Zidane, where are we going?"

"Oh, I already set it up."

"What?"

"Yeah. I flew the Invincible to Pinnacle Rocks and set up a picnic for the two of us. Then I started to talk with Steiner and Beatrix about it, and they refused to cancel the plans."

"Oh, Zidane...is there anything you're NOT good at doing?"

Zidane found it funny to twist her sentence into an erotic response. "Well, I'd be more than happy to prove to you there isn't whenever you want."

She blushed slightly. The idea was a little embarrassing, but at the same time, there's no way it could be anywhere near repulsive. They eventually reached Pinnacle Rocks and set out for the spot Zidane set things up at. It was a very romantic scenery, filled with lush, healthy grass and topped off with a hot spring a couple feet down a hill from there. There was a very nice little setup of a basket and a blanket laid on top of the grass for them to sit on. Zidane was the first to sit down, and his hand gestured for his fianc ' to sit with him. She giggled and happily obliged.

"This place is so beautiful, Zidane!"

"Yeah, I think so too. I had no idea this was even here in the first place until Mikoto told me."

"Hmm? How did Mikoto know about a place like this?"

"Uhh...well..."

"Come on, Zidane. Tell me."

"I brought her here to show her the places we went on our journey before going to Terra, and she claimed to hear the sound of rushing water nearby. We eventually found this spot right here, and...well..."

"Well...what?"

"Uhh...Mikoto tried coming on to me."

She couldn't help but blush madly. It seemed that she didn't understand the whole concept of brother and sister at the time. "Th...That's funny!" she lied. She didn't really think so, of course. What if she still harbored bigger feelings for him? She pondered the thought while her fianc ' readied their lunch. "Here you go!" he grinned. "Eat up, babe."

"Oh...umm...thank you."

"Hmm? What's up? You suddenly lost your happy."

"Lost my happy?"

"You look sad."

"Oh..."

The back of his hand placed itself on her forehead, feeling it for heat. "Hmm...You don't have a fever or anything. Are you okay?"

"Yes, Zidane...I'm fine."

His face swerved with a frown. "Liar."

"What? No, really, I'm fine."

"It's about Mikoto, isn't it?"

"...How come you can read me so well?"

He chuckled. "Well, I've had practice. Anyway, there's nothing to worry about. I mean, hey, look at your finger."

"Huh? My finger?" She lifted her hand and stared at it for a few seconds...and she knew what he meant. She put on a reassuring smile. "Thank you, Zidane."

"It's my job, babe. Now, c'mon! Let's eat! I'm starved."

"Huh? Didn't you eat breakfast?"

"Umm...nope. I was too busy getting ready for this picnic."

"Oh...I'm sorry, Zidane."

"Hey, relax. Don't be sorry. I did it because I love you."

Garnet didn't really eat much of her food, which didn't come as a surprise to Zidane, since she ate a big breakfast only an hour or two ago. Zidane, on the other hand, scarfed down his food due to the fact that he hadn't eaten a thing that entire day. It turns out that their little picnic ended up lasting them hours, until the sun set behind the majesty of Pinnacle Rocks. The true colors of the area had emerged from the darkness of the sky. The ground lit with a somewhat holy glow, and the waterfall was far more relaxing to listen to. The lovers simply laid there ever since their meal was finished. His hand was stroking her hair, relaxing and comforting her to the best of his ability. He suddenly had an idea, and he sat up with a smile. "I'm gonna take a dip."

"Take...a dip?"

"Yeah. Y'know, go swimming."

"Oh...Mind if I join you?"

"Uhh...not really."

Zidane bolted down to the water and, to Garnet's surprise and embarrassment, undressed completely. That's right; naked from head to toe. His legs shot him into the air and landed him in the hot spring's water. He emerged with a wide smile. "Come on in, babe! The water's great!"

"Z-Zidane...I..." She couldn't even finish a thought without thinking of what she just witnessed.

"What's wrong, Garnet? Don't you wanna swim?"

"Oh...Oh...All right! I'm coming!" At first, she hesitated to comply, as she tried to fool herself into thinking this was wrong. (Oh, who am I kidding?) she thought. (I want this to happen!) She no longer tried to stall as she began to undress for her trip to the pool. However, her steps to the spring made her stutter, but when she heard Zidane's words, she knew it was okay. "Wow...the perfect girl with the even better body!"

She slowly stepped into the water, the warmth soaking into her beautiful, smooth skin. She just stood there for a moment to take in the entire experience. It stung at first, but after a while, it felt soothing to both her body and spirit. Zidane found this the perfect time to sneak up behind and pull a prank. He held his breath and his eyes closed, and he submerged into the water and over to his fianc '. Within seconds, he emerged with her in his arms. This caused her to shriek and lose her cool. "Holy shit!" This startled Zidane, since those words had never once come from her mouth. "Wow...so there IS a dirty side to you!"

"S-Shut up!" Garnet blushed. "P-Put me down!"

"Hahaha! Okay, okay, no need to shout at me." He gently placed her back on her feet into the water, and he stepped back and began to swim backwards. She just stood there, lost in thought. This threw Zidane off course, and he suddenly stopped his swimming to comfort her. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm...fine."

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Huh? N-No! I wasn't mad in the first place!"

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

"Then what's wrong?"

She looked down in sadness. She didn't want to say the words that circled through her head. She didn't...but she ended up doing so anyway.

"What if...this is all a dream?"

"What?"

"I woke up with you gone...I felt so lonely and afraid...What if it happens again, but this time...you're really NOT here?"

"Garnet..."

"I...I can't...I can't face such a horror..."

She started to shed tears from her beautiful eyes. Zidane slowly approached her and raised her head with his finger. He gave her a bright smile. "Hey...I'm real. I'm not going anywhere, Garnet. Honest."

"How do I know that...you won't disappear? How do I know this isn't a dream?"

His fingers pinched her left cheek, which was a little clammy because of her crying. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"See? You felt that, right?"

She gasped lightly. "I did..."

"That's right. This is real. As real as it gets."

She tried to place her hand on his cheek, but she hesitated. It took her about five tries before she did. "Warm...Your cheeks are warm..."

"See? You can feel me, and I can feel you. This is real, Garnet. And...My love for you is, too." He took her hands into his own and gazed deeply into her eyes. "I will always be here for you. I always have been, right? You are my Gaia and my Terra. I...I don't know what I'd do if I were to live without you..."

"Zidane..."

"I don't know exactly how I can make you believe me, but..."

Her finger traced itself gently across his chest, and she turned her back to him. She backed up onto his chest and she reached for his arms. She played the puppet master and made his hands touch her face, rubbing against their hot touch. She made his arms wrap around her gently and lovingly, and she arched her head back next to his neck. "Just hold me like this..." she begged. "I want to know your touch forever..."

He smiled softly. "As you wish, my Queen." They stood there for about thirty minutes, holding one another in a loving embrace, Zidane occasionally kissing Garnet's neck and making her giggle. It was after this that she broke away from his arms, and she kissed him passionately on his lips, which he gladly returned. Their arms maneuvered all over their nude and exposed bodies, and eventually Garnet finally believed this was real.

"You ready to head home?"

"No...I want to stay like this...for just a little longer."

"Anything for you, Garnet."

They remained as they were before for even longer, eventually heading back to Alexandria to get some rest.

...Or not.

Late that night, when the halls were lit only with the light of the moon, Zidane concerningly crept to the bathroom. Before he could get to it, however, he heard the door of Garnet's room suddenly creak open. "Hmm? Is she in there?" His feet tiptoed him over into her room. He turned his head to see inside, only to be shocked at what he saw. Garnet had undressed herself from the waist down, and she was arched against her pillow masturbating furiously. She would exhale a pleasurable moan every now and then, signaling that the one she thought of was giving her this feeling. "Zidane..." She whispered this name multiple times during her moment. Zidane attempted to take another step into the room, but he tripped on the leg of his pajama pants and tumbled onto the ground. Garnet immediately covered her body with her sheets, her entire face red with embarrassment. But when she looked over to the ground, she saw it was Zidane, the one who she felt so strongly for.

"Zi...Zidane..."

"Owww...Damn it, that hurt!"

His head turned to face Garnet, his cheeks almost as red as Garnet's. But she didn't even try to turn away. She kept her surprised expression and gestured him to sit on the bed with her. He hesitantly moved closer to the bed, but when he finally got to that point, he leaned in towards Garnet before his entire body even hit the bed. Their lips were locked in a passionate kiss, until Zidane managed to slip under the sheets and uncover Garnet's bare lower body. His fingers began to dance within the edges of her womanhood, and as they were kissing, he heard a few moans come from her every few seconds. He knew that this was a signal to keep going. To be honest with herself, she wanted him to in the first place.

Zidane's lips broke free from Garnet's tempting entanglement, and his hands caressed her breasts softly and sweetly. His left hand took a brief break while it slipped under her night gown, and eventually got the first part off, revealing her right breast in its bare beauty. The other strap was next, and he was right on it. Finally, she was completely exposed, Zidane still caressing her breasts and sucking on the nipples. Garnet couldn't believe just how well he was doing. "My god...Zidane! How did you...Ohhh...get so...good?" He chuckled and continued in a more seductive pattern this time around. Instead of up and down, he took her gorgeous melons for a spin over and over. Her head arched back, and she moaned deeply with excitement. "Yes! More...More! Don't stop!"

Of course, complying with Garnet's request, Zidane didn't even think of stopping. Eventually, he got her to the finishing point. "Zidane...I'm...I'm going to...!" That was it. She came with an unspeakable amount of satisfaction, but she still lusted for more. This time, though, she wanted to make HIM happy. She moved so he could get into a position where he was laying on the bed completely spread out. She sat on top of him, kissing him even harder and with more passion than ever before. Her hands began to nip away at his clothing, and little by little, she made her way down to his manhood. She broke away from his mouth, and she moved downwards for his meat stick. She giggled at the mere sight of it. "Very nice!" she played. "It's more than big enough...!"

"I live to please."

"Oh, I can believe that."

Without so much as a warning, she moved her mouth so it went over him. She began moving her head back and forth, sucking and slurping and breaking off every now and then to catch some breath. Zidane couldn't believe what he was doing. He was having sex with the queen of Alexandria. The QUEEN! (Damn, what did I ever do to deserve this?) He thought. Finally, he could feel himself ready to burst, and before he could fully warn her, he released inside of her mouth. She moved off of it and showed Zidane that she swallowed it; every last drop of it. It was warm and sticky, much like fresh-brewed honey. After that, she knew it was time. This was the moment to prove how much she loved him. She positioned herself on top of him, but before she continued, she gazed deeply into his eyes.

"Zidane...do you love me?"

He grinned. "More than life itself."

"I...I want to give myself to you and you alone. Promise me now...we'll always be together."

"I promise, Garnet. We'll always be together."

Those words were reassuring enough. She kissed him deeply, their tongues dancing within each other's mouths. While occupying her fianc ' with that, she grabbed his man stick and positioned it so that it was ready to enter her body. She lowered herself so that it went inside, and it felt like it was breaking against a wall.

"Owww!"

"Garnet! Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine...I'm just...a virgin."

"I'm so sorry, Garnet..."

"No, no, don't be. I wanted to lose it to you, Zidane. And only you."

She began moving up and down slowly, and as time proceeded, she began to pick up her pace. Zidane placed his hands on the edges of her rear, clenching them softly to add additional satisfaction to the mix. Sure enough, they were both ready to climax.

"Zidane! I...I'm gonna do it!"

"Y-Yeah! Me, too!"

"Come on, Zidane! Let's cum together!"

"Right...!"

Moments later, they released themselves, and the fun was, unfortunately, over. They sat in their positions, panting and gasping for air. Garnet fell on top of Zidane, lying atop his torso. She placed one hand on the upper part of his chest, and she smiled. "That was...fantastic." Zidane grinned. "You were amazing, Garnet." She moved up so that Zidane's manhood slipped out of her, leaking his and her inner fluids out from inside of her. She then lowered herself back down onto his body, and she lay there, careless and comfortable. "I love you, Zidane." He kissed her head, and he stroked her hair with his hand. "I love you more." She giggled as she pulled the sheets back on top of them.

"Not possible." 


	3. Ceremony of Void

Final Fantasy IX Chapter 3 Ceremony of Void

"Garnet?" A young child's voice was heard echoing through the halls of the castle. Eiko and gang were searching for the queen and Zidane, and they had been doing so for roughly ten minutes. "Where have we not checked yet?" asked Freya. Eiko had to ponder the thought for a few moments. "Hmm...we got the cafeteria, the library, the main hall, and even the chambers...I don't think they'd be in the dungeon, do you?"

"Very unlikely," replied Freya, trying to force the image of a "naughty" Zidane and Garnet out of her head. "I suppose there's nothing else we can do. We'll have to wait for them to return."

"Man...I hate waiting," fussed Eiko.

It turns out, the queen and future king weren't at the castle at all.

"Zidane, what do you think about this one?"

Garnet had been looking through wedding dresses for their special day. They passed by a hefty number of dresses that just didn't seem to cut it for her. Zidane, on the other hand, thought she would look breathtaking in just about anything. His eyes were glued to the dress his fiance' pointed to. "Hey...it looks really nice!"

"So if I were to slip this on, you'd like it?"

"Well, yeah, but I'm just gonna take it off later."

"Oh, Zidane...You wish." She lightly punched his shoulder, shedding a slight laughter from him. "Hey, I can try, can't I?"

"Hmm...I don't see why not." She licked her lips, her tongue swerving to give Zidane a sign.

"Yeah, I thought so." He winked at her and moved in for a kiss, which she gladly returned. As they broke away, they began to set up arrangements for the dress she had decided to get. It would be slightly identical to the one she normally wore at special occasions; that white dress with emerald decorum. It was still a gorgeous shade of white, but it had a shining pearl jingle to it. The drapes of the dress were a dark blue, almost a sapphire. The store clerk had come to aid the couple with arrangements for purchase. "So, this is the dress you want, yes?"

"Yes, please," the queen giggled. "It's so beautiful."

The store clerk turned her head to face the Genome. "So, you're the lucky man?"

His face lit with a grin. "Absolutely."

"Congratulations to you both. The dress will be 250,000 Gil."

"Two...Two-hundred fifty thousand!" the queen stuttered.

"Yes, 250,000. Can you pay?"

Garnet pulled Zidane back to have a moment alone with him. "Zidane," she whispered, "What are we going to do about this? I don't have that kind of money on me..."

"What about the money at the castle?"

"No. I cannot take that money yet. Alexandria doesn't have a king as of right now, and their queen is currently not at the kingdom. What should we do?"

Zidane glared at the dress for a few moments, and finally, he looked over to the store clerk with a smile. "How long do we have to get the dress?"

"Hmm? There's no time limit. Well, for now, anyway. Someone else with the money can always walk in and ask for it, though."

"Huh...Well, that's reassuring."

"Zidane? What're you going to do?"

He placed a hand on her cheek. "I'm gonna earn that money for your dress. First, I'm taking you back to the castle."

Her face twisted with confusion. "What're you talking about? Wherever you go, I go with you."

He shook his head. "Nope. You're not coming with me this time. It's too dangerous."

She placed her hands on her hips as if she was disappointed. "Zidane, you DO realize who you're talking to, right? I'm one of your companions from our journey. We went through everything together, so there's nowhere else in the world too dangerous for-"

"I'm going to Memoria."

She felt a chill run down her spine. Memoria? Why there? Maybe because it was the easiest place to get some quick Gil. But despite that, she knew the risks of going to Memoria; it's the most dangerous place in the entire world. But how did he plan on getting there in the first place? The path to Memoria was destroyed during the final battle. What possible alternative did he possess?

"Zidane, how do you plan on going to Memoria? The Iifa Tree..."

"I know. The Invincible has the ability to teleport me to Memoria. I COULD go to Terra, but..."

"That world was...totally destroyed..."

"Yeah...Anyways, I'm going to Memoria to earn some Gil for your dress. Let's get back to the castle."

The store clerk cleared her throat to gain attention. "I see your intentions are true and pure, young man," she complimented. "I'll make sure it's YOU who gets this dress; no one else will dare lay their fingers on it."

"Really? Oh, that's wonderful! Thank you!"

"Hey, yeah, thanks a lot!"

"Not at all. You, young lady, are very lucky to have such a compassionate man at your side."

Garnet turned to face Zidane and pecked him on the cheek with a warm smile, and she looked back at the store clerk. "Yes. I am."

He grinned, his cheeks a slight hint of crimson. "Hey, c'mon. I'm not THAT-" His words were cut off by a sudden elbow to the chest, causing him to lose his breath. It appears his beloved still had some work to do to rebuild his confidence.

"Thank you very much, ma'am! We'll be sure to swing by once we get the money!"

"Take care, now!" She watched them as they exited the store. "Ahh...young love. So pure, so innocent...and...aggressive."

"Zidane, are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Garnet asked, worried for her fiance's well-being. They were aboard the Invincible once again, heading back for the castle.

"Like I said, babe," started Zidane, "I don't want you getting hurt. After our journey, the path to Memoria was destroyed. Who knows what I'll run into once I get there? I care about you too much to let something like that happen to you."

"Zidane..." She walked closer to him, carressing his cheek with the gentle touch of her hand, her soft, creamy skin enducing within him a feeling that he would not dare live without. "But...what if you get hurt? You'll need a healer. And just attacking a monster won't always do the trick. You'll need some kind of magic, and-"

Her words were cut off by a sudden embrace of her lips, and they shared a kiss that seemed to call out a signal to her, telling her that everything would work out somehow. Powerless against the man she loved, she gave into his kiss, participating with all of her heart in sharing the moment with him. In the end, if there's anything they have left, it will always be their memories together.

"Relax, babe. I've got this."

It was only moments later that their destination was within eye's reach. Landing before the front gates to the city, the two exited through the hatch as before, walking along together to the castle. As they approached the castle gates, they were greeted by their comrades, who had still been searching for them all morning.

"WHERE have you been?" demanded Eiko. "You two weren't off playing with birds and bees, were you?"

The couple couldn't help but blush.

"I don't think we need to rush to conclusions, Eiko," added Freya rather calmly. "Although..."

She glanced over to Zidane, a rather undesired image once again emplanting within her brain. She shuttered as the mind photo forced its way through her thoughts. "It wouldn't surprise me."

A cheeky grin lit across his face. "No, Mom, we weren't doing anything like that."

"That's right," nodded Garnet. "We were in Lindblum looking at wedding dresses."

"Oh?" Added Vivi. "Umm...but...isn't it the girl's job to look for the dress?"

"Normally, yes," replied Garnet, walking over to Vivi and kneeling to his level.

"So why did Zidane have to go with you?"

She rubbed her hand atop his pointed, steepled hat, and she lit with a smile. "Because he wanted to."

"Wow," he blurted. "Zidane must really love you..."

"Hmm?" she blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno a guy in the world that would voluntarily go along with a girl to do something like that," added Amarant from behind them.

Garnet glanced over to him, and she stood to her feet with a huff. "Well, shows how much you know about MEN."

"Say what? I AM a man."

With a grin, Eiko walked over to Amarant and patted his knee. "Nah. You're still just a boy, compared to Zid-" Her words were cut off by a cry of pain, as Amarant started to noogie the top of her head, where it normally hurt the most.

"Shut up, kid."

"You bastard!" she shouted, sticking her tongue out while running behind Zidane. "Oh, my hero! Protect me from that evil little boy!" She gestured her finger to Amarant.

"Eiko!" exclaimed Garnet, turning to see her crouched behind Zidane. "I understand you want to act like a child, but please, refrain from hiding behind MY man!"

"Zidane! Help me! The evil witch lady is gonna hurt me!"

"E...Evil witch lady?" She was filled with what must have been an unspeakable limit of rage. "How DARE you!" Her feet started to stomp her towards Eiko, but as she glanced up to see Zidane, she was puzzled. Rather, she was stunned. His face was darkened with what had to be the most serious look she had ever seen in her life. When Garnet stopped, Eiko glanced up to see Zidane, and she shared the same reaction. "Zidane?"

"Guys," Zidane finally said, "I'm going to Memoria."

"What?" demanded Eiko. "Why? That place was destroyed!"

"Memoria will exist as long as The Invincible does. That's the only way I can get there from here."

"Why are you-" Freya attempted to say, but was stopped because Zidane had already turned and ran further ahead.

He turned back around with a grin on his face, just as they would normally see him. "Take care of Garnet while I'm gone, okay?" He turned back around and started again for the Invincible.

As Zidane boarded the ship, his feet moved him quickly into the transport chamber, the room he would always call "Amarant's Room," since this is always where he and Freya would be standing. By standing on the gylph on the floor, it could be activated and used to transport him anywhere he desired, provided the place still existed. It was with this ability that he used the transporter to take him back to Memoria.

But when he finally got to the realm in question, he immediately started to regret the choice he had made.

There was barely anything left of Memoria; only bits and pieces of the world that he and his companions had once entered. That was only a year ago...but this place was absolutely devastated. With the defeat of Necron and the destruction of the Iifa Tree, it was actually a miracle that the place even existed at all. The final battle had most certainly taken its toll on the realm of memories.

Luckily, the first thing Zidane noticed was the arrival of a few familiar monsters, all in which carried innumerable amounts of Gil upon being defeated. The Iron Giant, the Chimera, even the Ash and Veteran-they all managed to live in this broken, nearly empty world. He reached for his daggers, the weapons he had stashed on both of his sides, and combined them together to form the legendary Ultima Weapon, and his face lit with a determined grin.

"Come n' get it!"

He charged for the group of monsters, which shared the same action in turn. With vicious roars and numerous spells being cast his way, Zidane had to think fast against such fearsome enemies...but he also had to keep in mind that for this battle, he was completely alone. There would be no healing, no spells at the enemies, no special skills, and definitely no summoning. All told...

"This is gonna be one hell of a fight!"

His feet leapt him into the air, his two daggers already combined to form his true weapon. Spinning the blade in his hands, he darted back down to the ground, stabbing the Iron Giant straight into its helmet, crushing the helmet and spewing a cerulean liquid, which could only be the monster's blood. It flowed violently from its head, and it would appear that Zidane had managed to stab the creature in its brain. He winked at the sight of the defeated monster.

"Lucky shot."

But just as he declared himself a hotshot, Zidane felt a sudden burst of heat energy below his feet. Knowing exactly what it was, he backflipped away from the spot on the ground, dodging the Firaga the Chimera in the distance had cast to burn him to a crisp. He smirked as he performed his backflip, and in the middle of it, he detached one of his daggers and wrapped it inside of his tail. Spinning in midair, he released the dagger from within his tail and propelled it forward at top-speed, eventually landing a blow on the Chimera and stabbing straight through the middle head. This instantly killed the center, but the two other heads it boasted only grew more angry and dangerous.

The Chimera started a ferocious charge, preparing something upon getting close enough to Zidane. The Ash, however, was sitting back and taking things easily, casting a Reflect spell in case Zidane tried anything funny. Of course, seeing as though he couldn't exactly cast spells unless he was in Trance, Zidane would often wonder-even through the past battles with Ash-why on earth it would even expend the effort in doing so, when his opponent did not possess the ability to use magic?

Nevertheless, Zidane was preparing himself for the worst, if any past encounters with the Chimera told him anything. Sure enough, the beast's right head exuded a purple, disgusting fluid from its mouth, and it spat out of it smouth like a water gun. Managing to just dodge the attack, Zidane once again leapt into the air, only this time, he landed on top of the Chimera. Using both of his hands, he pulled the dagger out of the obviously dead middle head, and combined it back with his other one to form his complete weapon. He stabbed the right head with one end of the sword, and the left with the other side. He ducked under the blade and started to pole vault on top of it, violently yanking the sword out from the beast's mouths and tearing off their heads. The Chimera was, undoubtedly, defeated.

Now, all that was left was the Ash. Zidane dashed over to the monster, who was already attempting to cast a spell. No doubt, it was going to be the Doom enchantment, which would kill the young hero in a matter of seconds unless the caster was killed. But instead, the beast used a Snowstorm spell, blowing Zidane away and damaging him in the process. Managing to stand back up, he once again dashed over to the monster. However, it was prepared for this, as well, as it started to cast yet another spell. This time, it would be far more powerful than anything Zidane could expect from the beast. He glanced up into the sky to see a massive hunk of rock plummeting down at almost incredible speed.

"Meteor?" Zidane didn't have the time to ponder; all he knew was that it was heading directly for him. If it was Meteor, it would take some kind of miracle to block it. (But instead,) he thought, (Why not try dodging it?) He was going to put his theory to the test, and so, he ran as close as he possibly could up to the Ash and jumped into the air, landing on top of the beast's head. Struggling to free itself from Zidane's grasp, the beast flailed and spazzed around as if there were no tomorrow. Even though Meteor would not hurt its caster, Zidane was determined to find a way to walk away unharmed. The second before Meteor hit the area, Zidane jumped as high as he possibly could into the air, and thankfully, he managed to avoid even the aftermath flames of the massive impact. Afterwards, he plummeted to the ground, stabbing straight through the Ash monster and cutting it right down the middle, spilling an untold amount of blood and revealing the beast's inner organs.

All three beasts were defeated, their corpses laying on the ground around their slayer. Zidane broke apart his weapons and started to place them behind him, when suddenly-

"Augh!"

A sharp beam of light had shot straight through the skin on his arm, shedding the flesh and revealing a portion of the bone of his arm. He kneeled to the ground in pain, looking around for any possible signs of an enemy. When instead, he noticed a currently unknown figure walking towards him. The figure was cloaked in a hood that covered his face, and his body was dressed in what seemed to be clothing similar to Garland's. Zidane recognized the garments, at least. But the one under the hood? Not in the least.

"I see you're just as strong as ever."

Zidane glared at the hooded man with a sneer of hatred. "Yeah, and I see you're TERRIBLE with first impressions!"

"First impressions? Oh, but we've already met."

"What?"

The hooded man chuckled at his downed adversary, and as he did, his hands motioned to the edges of the hood of his cloak. The cloak was covering the clothes he was currently wearing. But as the man started to remove the hood, a large, red eyeball sprung open in the middle of his chest. Now, Zidane definitely knew this was Garland's attire, or at least something similar to it. The hood of his cloak flopped off of his head, revealing a large amount of hair. Not only that, the hair was a bright silver, with a sapphire tint at the edges of different bangs and strands. His eyes were an empty red, signaling there was no true life within the man. But as soon as he saw his enemy's face, Zidane couldn't help but feel scared and shocked simultaneously. It was as if though his fears-his nightmares-were about to be relived.

"Kuja?" 


	4. The Lost Requiem

Final Fantasy IX Chapter 4 The Lost Requiem

"Kuja?" His eyes were so wide, it was hard to believe they would fit on his face. Immediately, he sprung to his feet and prepared his daggers for another fight. But instead, his thought-to-be-deceased brother motioned his hand in a friendly gesture.

"Relax yourself. I am not here to fight."

He covered the wound on his arm. "You wanna tell me why the hell you look like my broth-Kuja?"

He exuded a chuckle. "I AM Kuja."

Zidane took apart his weapon, separating the two daggers and placing them in their holsters on the left and right sides of his body.

"If you're Kuja, then how did you survive the Iifa Tree?"

"I didn't survive."

He blinked in confusion. "Then how the hell can you be Kuja?" He was obviously distressed; he was yelling at a man who had stolen the identity of his dead brother.

"The remaining souls of Terra that were circling through the Soul Divider upon the destruction of the Iifa Tree are what resurrected me. By consuming the small amount of remaining Terran souls, my body was able to replenish my strength, and therefore, brought me back to life."

"Kuja...I thought that was what you wanted."

He shook his head. "As I said before all of this happened, I want to destroy the Crystal and end this meaningless existence. And I wanted to take you all with me."

"Then what? You're gonna try and do it all over again?"

"No."

"Then tell me what the hell you want!" His voice could frighten the bravest of men.

"I am not here to fight you, nor am I here to instigate trouble. To be honest, I am here to help you."

"HELP me?" Zidane demanded. "You just got done stabbing through my flesh with one of your little attacks! Is THIS-" he lifted his arm into the air- "how you plan on helping me?"

"My apologies, Zidane. I merely wanted to see if your reflexes had improved. Here."

Kuja walked forward to Zidane, and with a slight amount of magic, he quickly restored the wound on Zidane's arm, repairing the torn skin cells and replenishing them as if they were good as new.

"Thanks...I guess."

"Save your thanks. I do not deserve them."

"Okay...So, what do you want?"

His head titled towards the sky, or rather, the distorted space above them. "The souls of Terra spoke to me, Zidane."

"Spoke to you?"

"Yes."

"What did they say?"

Kuja's left hand clenched into a fist. "They spoke to me of Garland...and of that horrifying fiend humans call the 'Grim Reaper.'"

"You mean...Necron?"

"Yes."

"What about them?"

He glanced back to Zidane. "Necron's spirit is going to return here, and thus, Memoria will be rebuilt anew."

"Necron survived?" demanded Zidane.

"Yes. Do you not remember its parting words? The words it spoke to you as I used my strength to bring you all back from purgatory?"

The final battle...

(This is not the end. I am eternal. As long as there is life and death...)

As long as there is life and death...

"Dammit!" shouted Zidane. "Does that mean it's gonna keep coming back? Until every living being is destroyed?"

Kuja nodded his head slowly, his eyes closed to agree to such an unfortunate truth.

"No..." he muttered, clenching his fists. "Necron was almost too powerful for us the first time around...and even though we've all become stronger, I don't think we can beat him..."

"Zidane, do not fear," stated Kuja. "That's why I was on my way to the human world. To come and find you."

"Me?"

"Well, you and Garnet."

"Why us?"

"You and your friends are the only ones I can depend on to help."

"What makes you think everyone will agree to help you?"

He placed his hand on Zidane's head, which obviously, he did not appreciate. "Because I know you can do an excellent job at convincing them."

"Yeah, right," he blurted. "And how do I know I can trust you? You ARE supposed to be dead, after all."

"Take a look at my eyes. The blood red within them."

Zidane glanced into his brother's eyes, realizing that, once again, they showed no resemblance to his. They were empty; absolutely barren of any form of life or spirit. Despite being resurrected with the souls of Terra, it was apparent that he had not recovered a soul of his own. Whether he was truly the same person or not, Kuja was no more than an empty vessel filled with the departed, merged souls of Terrans.

Zidane exhaled a sigh. "All right. What do I have to do?"

"Don't rush to conclusions, Zidane."

"Huh? Whaddya mean?"

"I'm afraid I must test you to see if you are capable of putting up a fight."

"So...that's how it is, then."

"Indeed."

He grinned at the empty vessel, reaching once again for the two daggers and combining them into Ultima Weapon. Kuja's weapon, as always, was the force of magic he had used before.

"Don't hold back, now," he played.

"Same to you," Kuja played back.

With an intense atmosphere that could bring the gods to their knees in awe, Zidane and Kuja engaged one another in combat, dashing towards one another and clashing their weapons, a solid sword of crystal to a ball of impenetrable magic. Shards of the matter that composed the twisted realm amongst them had started to dissipate and vanish due to the colliding forces of the two adversaries. It was painfully apparent that Kuja, although not possessing the power he once did, was still nothing short of a worthy foe. Zidane could feel himself exerting more effort into his blows, using more energy than he originally planned to. This was not his intention, yet it was so. He was losing his energy to fight. Nay, losing an inner struggle with the emotion that drained both his physical and emotional power.

It was rage.

Could he be blamed? Could his suffering truly be argued? Kuja, the brother that effectively banished him from his own world, and nearly got away with destroying everything that existed in the world of Gaia, was still his family. They were both artificially created by the same man, thus entangling them within the depths of the same origin. The emotions stirring within him were directly influenced by the simple fact that, once again, he would have to strike down his own blood.

Yet, this time, the situation was shifted. Kuja claimed to have the desire to assist Zidane, and even his friends, in an upcoming clash for the fate of the world. At this given point in time, all he wanted to do was prove himself to his older brother. He just wanted to prove he could stand strong. Nay, it was more than that. It was a strong, unfamiliar urge that plagued him so sturdily.

He wanted Kuja's acceptance.

"Is that all ya got?" exclaimed Zidane after dealing numerous blows to his brother, finally planting his feet onto the ground and waiting for the next attack.

"Impressive," breathed Kuja. "You really have retained your power from before."

"Yeah, well, I have more than enough reason to keep going!"

He sheathed his daggers into the holds on his sides, and he walked over to the downed Kuja. Lifting out a hand, he was surprised-to say the least-when he witnessed Kuja taking it. He actually accepted the help of his younger brother.

"Yes, I'm sure you do," stated Kuja. "I think that's good enough. You seem to be strong enough for this task."

He grinned with pride. "So? What is it you want me to do?"

Kuja brushed off the pads of his armor, and he glanced at Zidane with his dead eyes of scarlet, reaching into his pocket to show his younger brother a rather peculiar trinket. It shined brightly like a crystal, and its tint of red glistened brilliantly off of its surface. Yet, it seemed to cut off at a certain point; it was obviously the shard of something, but only Kuja could know of what.

"Take this."

Heeding his brother's words, Zidane extended his arm forward to take the item from Kuja's hand. He glanced at it with a puzzled expression. "Okay, I'll bite. What IS it?"

"It is a shard of the crystal used to form Thanatos."

"Thanatos?" repeated Zidane.

"Yes. Thanatos, the personification of life and death."

He glanced down at the shard in his palm, and for a moment, pondered exactly what this could foretell. More accurately, if it was worth all of the trouble he would undoubtedly have to go through to discover just what this "Thanatos" was.

"What exactly IS Thanatos?" he finally asked.

"Thanatos is an Eidolon of Terra. It possesses phenominal, incomprehensible power. Much more than the spirit of Ark that Garnet has."

"Say what?" exclaimed Zidane. "Ark has GOT to be the single-most powerful Eidolon I've ever seen in my life! And you're saying this...Thanatos guy is way stronger than that?"

Kuja nodded with a light smile. "That's right."

"But...Ark had the power to easily decimate a whole tenth of the world!"

"I am fully aware of that. However, Thanatos, if used incorrectly, could bring about the destruction of everything it touches. With life, there comes death. With death, there comes birth. It is this simple never-ending cycle that bestows unspeakable strength to this Eidolon."

"It's hard to believe that something so strong could exist, and it's even HARDER to believe that I'm holding it in my hands right now..."

"Not quite," replied Kuja, shaking his head. "That is a shard of Thanatos. The way it was divided, I'd say you are holding one of six shards of this crystal."

He held it to the sky, glaring once again inside of the stone in his hand. "Six, huh?" He turned once again to face Kuja. "And I'm guessing you want me to go find the other five, right?"

His older brother exhaled a slight laugh. "If all else fails, you always have that sharp wit."

"Whaddya mean, if all else fails?" Zidane demanded, crossing his arms in frustration.

"Precisely how it sounds," Kuja retaliated. "Now, can I trust you with this task? Or do I have to do it myself?"

He shook his head with a smile. "Nah, I got this. Besides, if YOU had that kind of power in your hands, you wouldn't have any reason to be a good guy from now on."

It was somewhat surprising to hear Zidane say something like that. At least, it was to Kuja, whose mouth hung open slightly at his comment. He chuckled. "That's a fair point."

Zidane turned to face the other direction, hoping to head home and back to his friends. "Well, I got my money. I'm done here." He gestured a finger in the air in the form of a solute. "Later."

"Zidane."

His legs prevented him from moving forward. "Yeah?"

There was a slight pause between the two, intensifying the seriousness behind the events that were destined to transpire within the near future.

"You and your friends are the only ones I can depend on. Are you absolutely sure you can do this? Necron is just like Thanatos; he is the physical manifestation of life and death. It was a miracle that you managed to defeat him the first time."

He exhaled a sigh. "I know. But no worries. I got this one."

"You're going to do this alone?"

He shrugged his shoulders in a careless form. "Yeah. If I have to. I don't wanna put anyone else in danger if they don't have to be."

"Why waste your power protecting others? What good are they to their Angel of Death?"

A deep sting pierced his skin. That phrase-"Angel of Death"-had always pecked away at his conscience, considering he was created to be one. Still, it was one of those things where, if he could avoid saying it, or even referring to it, he would. Every time those three words were spoken together in the same sentence, it would always shroud him with a sense of irrevocable guilt.

But it wasn't something Zidane was going to let wear him down. If, at any given moment, he felt discouraged, he would always trace through his memories back to the one time during his previous adventure. There was a time where he felt meaningless, nothing but a burden placed upon the face of existence. There was a time where he had believed there to be no reason-no incentive-to carry on, no explanation to why he deserved to live, much less be loved and accepted by the people who called him friend. There was a time when he felt so alone, and even terrified, to the point that he tried to shut everyone he ever knew away, even the love of his life. But through that time, he also came to the realization that restored his hopes and confidence, and it swept away the fears and doubts of his being. He knew that, no matter what came his way...

He was not alone.

Never. Zidane would never feel the cold, stabbing pain of loneliness, having no one in his life to share their light with him. He would never be swept beneath the sorrow and agony that came with the empty feelings of having nothing to truly live for. No one to save, nothing to protect, and no reason to keep going. He had friends, people he knew he could depend on, and people he knew that were trustworthy. They had saved him from the darkest depths of eternal despair, and they would do so once, twice, and ever more until they knew he embraced their love for him. After considering this, after tracing to the most inspirational moment in his entire life, he remembered something that he would always say. It was a catchy little phrase that struck the heart strings of many people, and it was one of the things they had found attractive about being around him. He turned around to face his brother, and a confident smile lit across his face.

"You don't need a reason to help people."

He turned around once more and hurried off, back to Alexandria. It was only moments afterwards that he found himself outside of the kingdom. He landed the Invincible carefully onto the ground, and he dashed off the deck and straight for the castle. Upon arrival, he was greeted by a loving embrace from his fiance', the beautiful queen of Alexandria, and the smiles from his friends. He and Garnet took a few steps forward, allowing Zidane to greet his friends once again. His hand lifted near his face, forming into a thumbs-up sign, and a cheerful grin lit his face.

"So whaddya say? Let's have ourselves a wedding!" 


End file.
